0 itemsEvolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs
| Product Code: | SP217 |
| Type: | Book |
| Series: | GSL Special Publications |
| Ten Digit ISBN: | 1-86239-143-2 |
| Thirteen Digit ISBN: | 978-1-86239-143-7 |
| Author/Editor: | Edited by E. Buffetaut and J. M. Mazin |
| Publisher: | GSL |
| Publication Date: | 14 October 2003 |
| Binding: | Hardback |
| Pages: | 354 |
| Weight: | 1.10kg |
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| Description
Pterosaurs were a peculiar group of Mesozoic vertebrates, which acquired the ability to fly in an original way, using a membrane attached to a single finger of the hand. Ever since the first description of a pterosaur skeleton in 1784, these remarkable animals have elicited much discussion and controversy among palaeontologists, and many basic questions about their origin, evolution and biology remain disputed. In the last few years, interest in pterosaurs has been revived by numerous discoveries of new and sometimes remarkably preserved specimens, which have enlarged and changed our picture of this group. The volume begins with descriptions of several new pterosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous of Europe, North and South America, and Africa. Following this, alternative hypotheses of pterosaur phylogeny and evolution are put forward. Several papers discuss the functional anatomy of pterosaurs and its implications for aerial locomotion. The study of pterosaur footprints provides important new evidence concerning their terrestrial locomotion, and this approach is used in several contributions. A developing aspect of pterosaur research is bone histology, as shown by the final papers in this collection. |
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Contents Evolution and palaeobiology of pterosaurs, E Buffetaut and J-M Mazin • A Late Triassic pterosaur from the Northern Calcareous Alps (Tyrol, Austria), P Wellnhofer • New morphological observations on Triassic pterosaurs, F M Dalla Vecchia • A new scaphognathine pterosaur from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Wyoming, USA, K Carpenter, D Unwin, K Cloward and C Miles • A new crested ornithocheirid from the Lower Cretaceous of northeast Brazil and the unusual death of an unusual pterosaur, E Frey, D M Martill and M-C Buchy • A new species of tapejarid pterosaur with soft-tissue head crest, E Frey, D M Martill and M-C Buchy • Pterosaur (Pteranodontoidea, Pterodactyloidea), scapulo-coracoid from the Early Cretaceous of Venezuela, A W A Kellner and J M Moody • A new azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, X Pereda Suberbiola, N Bardet, S Jouve, M Iarochene, B Bouya and M Amaghzaz • Giant azhdarchid pterosaurs from the terminal Cretaceous of Transylvania (western Romania), E Buffetaut, D Grigorescu and Z Csiki • Pterosaur phylogeny and comments on the evolutionary history of the group, A W A Kellner • On the phylogeny and evolutionary history of pterosaurs, D Unwin • Morphological evolution of the pectoral girdle of pterosaurs: myology and function, S C Bennett • The detailed anatomy of Rhamphorhynchus: axial pneumaticity and its implications, N Bonde and P Christiansen • New specimens of Pterosauria (Reptilia) with soft parts with implications for pterosaurian anatomy and locomotion, E Frey, H Tischlinger, M-C Buchy and D M Martill • Middle- and bottom-decker Cretaceous pterosaurs: unique designs in active flying vertebrates, E Frey, M-C Buchy and D M Martill • Pterosaur tracks from the latest Campanian Cerro Del Pueblo Formation of southeastern Coahuila, Mexico, R A Rodriguez De La Rosa • Ichnological evidence for quadrupedal locomotion in pterodactyloid pterosaurs: trackways from the Late Jurassic of Crayssac (southwestern France), J-M Mazin, J-P Billon-Bruyat, P Hantzpergue and G Lafaurie • Pterosaur swim tracks and other ichnological evidence of behavior and ecology, M G Lockley and J L Wright • The systematic problem of tetrapod ichnotaxa: the case study of Pteraichnus Stokes, 1957 (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea), J-P Billon-Bruyat and J-M Mazin • The John Quekett sections and the earliest pterosaur histological studies, L Steel • Histovariability in bones of two pterodactyloid pterosaurs from the Santana Formation, Araripe Basin, Brazil: Preliminary Results, J M Sayao • |
Reviews
After dozens of books devoted to dinosaurs, or some subset thereof, it is a pleasure to come upon a book about a different group of fossil reptiles.
The book is attractively presented. The editors have clearly worked well to exclude waffle and poor presentation, and the Geological Society Publishing House has made a good job of presenting a great deal of material in a compact book.
Michael J. Benton.
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ
The review appeared in Issue 56 of the Palaeontological Newsletter
This review was submitted by:
Sales Department
09 March 2005
This book review was featured in Geological Magazine, Issue 142, 2005
Combining 21 papers authored by just about everyone in the world of pterosaur research, this new volume is a significant work indeed.
It is no exaggeration to describe this volume as the most significant addition to the pterosaur literature ever, and at least one paper from it will surely be cited in every post-2003 pterosaur paper, ever. It's not cheap but, if you like pterosaurs, you mustget it.
Book review by Darren Naish
This review was submitted by:
Sales Dept
31 May 2007
The book Evolution and palaeobiology of pterosaurs is meant for the professional palaeontologist working with pterosaurs and is therefore a must.
Review by A.J. Veldmeijer & M. Signore
This review was feature on www.PalArch.nl, webbased Netherlands scientific journal (2004)
This review was submitted by:
Sales Department
26 September 2005
...if you're a keen enthusiast or researcher, then this is an indispensable addition to the library.
Phil Bell Centre for Ecostratigraphy & Palaeobiology, Macquarie University
This review was featured in TAG December 2004
This review was submitted by:
Sales Dept
02 December 2005
When it comes to the rise and fall of particular fossil groups, the intriguing extinct flying reptiles are often overlooked. New information especially from china, has been synthesised by international experts Eric Bufetaut and J.M. Mazin in the Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. National geological "biographies" such as The Geology of Scotland and The Geology of Spain also provide invaluable syntheses. Both include up-to-date reviews of all aspects of the subject, including palaeontology. Both are aimed at students and researchers, but an informed amateur would find them useful, too.
This review appeared in the NewScientist 22 March 2003
This review was submitted by:
Mrs Julie Webster
03 September 2003